Karnataka doubles compensation for deaths due to wild elephants

The Karnataka government has decided to double the compensation for deaths due to wild elephant attacks from Rs 7.5 lakh to Rs 15 lakh, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has said.

The compensation for injury and property damage caused by wild elephants has also been raised.

The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister held in Bengaluru on Sunday.

“For permanent disability due to elephant attacks, the meeting resolved to pay a compensation of Rs 10 lakh from the present Rs 5 lakh; for partial disability from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh; for injuries from Rs 30,000 to Rs 60,000,” Bommai said.

He said that in regard to damage to property, it is decided to hike the competition Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000; the monthly pension for the permanently disabled person from Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000. Even the amount paid for the crop damage has been doubled.

The Chief Minister said that permission was also granted to capture eight elephants that are creating havoc in the Sakleshpur-Belur area and to radio collar the captured tuskers in order to keep a watch on them. “Already, 23 wild jumbos have been radio-collared to keep a watch on their movements,” he added